Childhood Friend of the Zenith

When the Crimson-Rank beast first appeared, countless disasters befell the Central Plains.

Unlike the Green or Blue ranks, although only a single beast emerged, the devastation caused by that one creature was enormous.

Even for those at the peak of their martial prowess, who could typically withstand most beasts, the appearance of the Crimson-Rank beast disrupted this certainty.

Furthermore, the fragile peace that had been maintained began to crack.

The reason was simple.

Crimson-Rank beasts were immune to naegi (inner energy).

This single, brief statement encapsulated all the calamities that followed. Typically, those who hunted beasts were warriors who used their inner energy to defeat them.

They needed to cut through tough hides and break sturdy bones.

Thus, it was common knowledge that anyone hunting beasts was a martial artist who wielded inner energy.

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But the Crimson-Rank beasts shattered this understanding.

These creatures were surrounded by an unknown barrier, almost as if protecting their bodies, which absorbed naegi.

Any attack infused with inner energy was absorbed, and without inner energy, no weapon could pierce the beast’s tough hide.

Despite their massive size and strength, which far exceeded the Blue-Rank beasts, they became impervious to martial artists' attacks. It was inevitable that they wreaked havoc.

Even though only one appeared at a time, they couldn't be stopped initially, and the northern lands were devastated.

A beast that was immune to naegi—that was the nature of Crimson-Rank monsters.

At first, the martial artists felt powerless against these beasts, but as always, people found ways to adapt even in the face of despair.

While the Crimson-Rank beast's barrier did indeed absorb naegi, it wasn’t limitless.

This was something that the Celestial Lord of the past discovered while hunting these creatures.

The barrier would break once it absorbed a certain amount of inner energy.

Once broken, the beasts could be defeated using naegi, just like those of a lower rank.

However, the amount of energy required to break the barrier was staggering.

To put it into perspective, a martial artist at the Hwagyeong level would need to expend all of their naegi to break the barrier.

In other words, unless a martial artist had an immense amount of naegi, hunting Crimson-Rank beasts was nearly impossible.

Even when hope began to emerge from this discovery, the requirements were so demanding that many fell back into despair.

Around that time, one piece of news spread.

A martial artist who had reached the peak of their abilities had successfully hunted a Crimson-Rank beast.

This happened about a year after the beast first appeared.

Many asked how he had done it, assuming he must have had an extraordinary amount of naegi beyond what his rank would suggest.

However, the young man, a warrior of the Taoist sect, wasn’t known for possessing a great amount of inner energy.

So how did he defeat the beast? When questioned, the young man gave a simple response:

"Not all barriers are the same. Just like the sea has deep and shallow areas, there are weak points you can target."

At first, no one understood what he meant.

But before long, it became the key to hope.

The barrier wasn’t uniform.

Just like the sea has both deep and shallow waters, the beast's barrier had areas that were weaker.

By finding those weak points and attacking them, they could deal damage to the beast and break the barrier more effectively.

The young man had discovered this and used it to defeat the monster.

When this was confirmed, martial artists were filled with hope. It was the first viable method discovered in nearly a year.

However, another issue arose.

Finding the weak points in a transparent barrier, distinguishing between shallow and deep areas, was an entirely different challenge.

When asked about this as well, the young man, looking somewhat drowsy, answered:

"You just have to feel it."

The most absurd answer.

That was the response of U-hyeok, the pinnacle martial artist who had hunted the Crimson-Rank beast in the past.

Sshiiiiik-!

A strike imbued with energy cut through the air in a smooth arc, grazing the scales on the serpent’s back with a short hit.

Thud! Clang!

The sound produced by the sword was rather blunt, considering it was a sword strike.

Kyaaahhh!

The impact must have been significant, as the beast let out a scream, shaking its body violently. Each movement made it hard to maintain balance due to the crashing waves.

I focused my gaze on the barrier surrounding the beast.

‘It's starting to crack.’

I could see the cracks forming in the barrier that enveloped the beast. The strike U-hyeok just delivered must have deepened them.

Watching this, I quickly gave instructions.

“A bit to the right of the gills.”

At my command, Namgung Bi-ah unleashed a lightning strike. Even though my directions weren’t perfectly precise, Namgung Bi-ah hesitated not at all.

The lightning bolt flew straight to the indicated spot.

Buzz!

Though the lightning was absorbed by the barrier and disappeared, it didn’t matter.

“Now, stab it.”

As soon as my words left my mouth, Wi Seol-ah, with golden energy swirling around her blade, thrust her sword forward.

When the tip of the sword made contact, the barrier shattered slightly, creating an opening.

Without needing further direction, someone had already leapt toward the gap alongside Wi Seol-ah.

It was U-hyeok, the rising star of Wudang, who poured his energy into his sword and thrust it forward.

Crack!

Shaaa!

A long gash appeared on the serpent’s body, with strange turquoise blood trickling down from the wound.

The serpent let out a pained cry and coiled its body, now covered in numerous similar wounds.

Seeing this, I couldn't help but smirk to myself.

‘They’re learning quickly.’

Though I was the one giving the commands, the synergy between the three had improved dramatically over time.

At first, they had simply followed my directions, rushing in at the right moments.

But now, they had grown to the point where my words only served to confirm their instincts.

They had already figured out where to strike, and my instructions merely gave them confidence in their decisions.

It was terrifying.

‘It’s been less than an hour, hasn’t it?’

Yet they were already adapting.

I hadn’t even properly taught them how to detect weak points yet.

‘That’s why talent is terrifying.’

The technique discovered by U-hyeok in the past life involved understanding the differences in the barrier’s strength.

The key to hunting Crimson-Rank beasts was to find the weak spots and focus on them.

Without this method, it would take an overwhelming amount of energy to break through the barrier, which was simply not feasible.

However, the biggest challenge was not merely identifying the weak points but feeling them.

Finding and attacking those weak points in a transparent barrier required an extremely delicate sense of energy, and only those with exceptional talent could manage it.

For people like me, who weren't born geniuses, this kind of thing wasn’t easy at all.

Yet somehow, these three had already begun to adapt.

As the serpent screamed and staggered, struggling to regain its balance, I could tell that the battle was nearing its end.

The barrier was nearly shattered.

“Master Tang,” I called out to the Poison King, who had been watching in disbelief.

For some reason, his eyes were trembling as he stared at me.

‘Hmm.’

It seemed the way I hunted the beast had left quite an impression on him.

I found it a little annoying that yet another misunderstanding had cropped up, but there was nothing I could do.

“You can enter now.”

“…The barrier… is it gone?”

‘Ah, so he noticed.’

The Poison King had realized that the beast’s barrier absorbed inner energy. That explained his shock.

“Not completely gone, but it should be easy to break now. Just a little more force and it’ll crumble.”

“Gu Gongja,” he said, addressing me.

“Yes?”

“What are you, really?”

Hearing this, I tilted my head.

It was a question I’d been hearing quite often recently. It reminded me of when Tang Deok asked, and I had replied “Cheonma.”

‘Why did I say that?’

I still didn’t know. Why had I answered that way?

It was as if the world was trying to push me into the role of Cheonma, which made me uneasy.

“I don’t understand your question. I’m simply a warrior of the Gu family.”

“…You know that’s not what I’m asking.”

“No, I really don’t.”

Just as I was shaking my head, ready to brush off the question—

Bang!

Kyaaaahh!

The serpent let out another shriek. This time, it wasn’t Wi Seol-ah who struck it, but someone else who had taken up the sword.

It was Baekryeongeom.

…When did she get here?

“Hahaha!”

Baekryeongeom laughed brightly, as if she were a goddess descending upon the battlefield.

‘Hah.’

I let out a sigh as I watched. The place where Baekryeongeom had struck was one of the serpent’s weak points.

‘Did she figure it out just from watching?’

If this wasn’t a coincidence, then it seemed Baekryeongeom had also figured out how to hunt Crimson-Rank beasts.

Perhaps due to the difference in levels, the serpent lost its balance after her strike.

Crack.

The barrier surrounding the beast shattered, scattering like dust.

Seeing this, I finally moved.

Splash.

Walking on water felt awkward since it had been a while.

Controlling naegi to walk on water was a high-level skill, requiring precise energy manipulation.

‘But those three are even crazier.’

Unlike me, who had reached the Hwagyeong level, those three were still at the pinnacle of their abilities but managed to pull it off.

I had only given them a brief explanation, thinking it might not work, but they pulled it off.

Their talent was staggering, every time I saw it.

Splash.

I took another step and ignited the flames around my body.

Fwoosh!

The fact that we were fighting on the river was slightly annoying, but it didn’t pose too much of an issue.

‘This should be enough.’

With a burst of strength, I leapt into the air. The serpent’s body was large, so I had to rise high enough to match its size.

The reason I hadn’t joined the fight earlier was simple.

The first reason was to give the others experience in fighting a Crimson-Rank beast.

The second was—

‘I need that magic stone.’

I had to secure the magic stone from the Crimson-Rank beast. Even though the situation had spiraled out of control due to the appearance of the monster, there was no way I could let its magic stone slip away. The energy contained within was immense, and I couldn’t afford to miss out, given the current urgency.

As the serpent flailed after Baekryeongeom’s strike, I closed the distance, flames bursting from my hand.

I could no longer feel the obstructive barrier. Fortunately, it had completely shattered.

I thrust my fist, coated in intense energy, directly into the serpent’s scales.

Thud!

My arm pierced through its scales. Given the size comparison, it seemed too small to deal any real damage, but that didn’t matter.

The important part was that my arm had breached the serpent’s body.

I gathered all my naegi at the tip of my fingers and concentrated the flames into a single point.

A small ball of fire, Flame Orb, formed at the tip of my fingers, and without hesitation, I detonated it inside the serpent's body.

Boom!

Kyaaaaaaaah!

The serpent screamed and flailed, thrashing as it dove into the water.

It seemed like it was trying to extinguish the flames, but flames made from naegi weren’t so easily put out.

I detonated another Flame Orb and intensified the flames.

‘Tch.’

Though I couldn’t breathe underwater, I could endure long enough given my rank. Right now, I needed to focus on finishing the serpent off.

As it continued its desperate struggle, I briefly considered using magi, but at that moment—

[W-Why… Why do you abandon us, O Great One…?]

A voice echoed, as if reaching my mind.

What? Was that telepathy?

[O Great One… Have you forsaken us?!]

It was a scream, as if it tore through my mind.

I glanced around and saw it.

The serpent, burning from the inside, was looking at me with tears of blood streaming from its eyes.